Henry b



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. B. 00X.

HOTEL SIGNAL.

No. 375,442. Patented Dec. 27, 1887.

( 0 Mddel.)

zsneets-sheet zh H. B. 00X. HOTEL SIGNAL. No. 375,442. Patented Dec. 27,1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. COX, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

HOTEL-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,442, dated December27, 1887.

' Application filed May 21. 1887. sernuivo. 239,003. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1', HENRY B. 00X, ofOincinnati, in the county ofHamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hotel Signals; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to an improved signaling system and apparatus foruse where there are a number of outlying stations and a centralstation,and where intercommunication between the two is desired. It isparticularly adapted for use in hotels or large buildings where it isdesirable that a guest in any room may be able to make a want known inthe office, or the clerk in the office may desire to give the guestsignal or signals.

The object of my invention is to so organize such a system that inordinary usage the clerk can ring up any guest by a single movement andkeep the bell in the guests room ringing until he answers the call, andto enable the clerk in case of fire or general danger to ringup. all ofthe guests and keep their bells continuously ringing in spite of anyattempt on the part of any guest to reply, a condition which will atonce indicate that there is danger.

To this end my invention consists in providing in the clerks office acircuit-closer which, when operated,will hold the circuit closed,andcontrolling by this a circuit operating a bell in a guests room.

My invention also consists in providing means at the guests room forreleasing the clerks circuit-closer, and thus silencing the guests hellby the rupture of the controllingcircuit.

My invention also embodies special apparatus for carrying out theseends.

My invention also consists in an arrangement of circuit foraccomplishing this double signaling by which only two line-wires betweenthe office and any room are required- I In the accompanyingdrawings,which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a rear elevation of one ofthe clerks circuit-closers and its retaining-magnet, showing also theelectric connections of the parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one ofthe said clerkscircuitclosers andits retaining-magnet, showing also howall of the circuit-closers may be operated to sound a general alarm.Fig. 3 is afront elevation of the clerks circuitfcloser board, showingone circuit-closer mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a View of the arrangementof circuits, showing the guests circuit-closer in section. Fig. 5 is anenlarged cross-section of a guests circuitcloser.

The circuit-closer used at the central station at the clerks office, ifthe system be in use in a hotel, consists of a bent arm, B, pivoted inlugs G G, secured toasuitable frame, I. The lower end of the arm carriesaplate-armature, A, and the upper end a metallic contactpiece, 0.

When the armature A is in the posit-ion shown in Fig. 2, thecontactpiece O is in engagement with a spring, D, secured to the frame.When the armature is out of control of the magnet M,it hangs in theposition shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, the upper contact-piece, 0,being out of engagement with spring D, and the lower end of the armaturebeing held by gravity against contact A, secured to the frame.

J is a pushpin for forcing the armature away from the magnet by handwhen the clerk so desires. The magnet is secured to a support, H,fastened to the frame, as shown,and has a core, preferably beveled, asshown, to take a firm hold on the armature when the latter is pushedagainst it. In the outer side of the frame is an aperture through whichanumber carried by the armature is visible, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Aframe, K, held in suitable supports, has cross-bars N N N attached to itat different vertical heights. The function of this will presently beexplained.

An organization of the kind just described is provided for each room orstation, and all are mounted on a suitable frame. Only one has beenshown, in order that its parts might be sufficiently enlarged for clearillustration. The cross-rods N N N are capable of a vertical thrust,controlled by an arm, K, projecting out from the under part of the frameI. When thrust upwardly, the cross-arms engage the upper part, B, ofeach bent arm, so that a sufiicient movement on frame Kwill bring all ofthe armatures against their magnetcores and close a circuit at eachspring D. The armatures will then be held against the magnet, as will bepresently shown.

In Fig. 4 the frame I is shown with asingle circuit extending to anoutlying station or room. It will be understood that a similar circuitextends to each room or station. The contact-spring D is connected toone pole of a battery, 0, Figs. 2 and 4, and the other pole of thebattery is connected with the terminal of amagnet, \V, at an outlyingroom or station. The lugs G G are connected with magnet M, which isconnected to one contact, R, of a circuit-closer, Q, at a room orstation. The contact A is connected with one post of an annunciator, P,the other post correspond ing to any room or station, being connectedwith said room or station by wires 18 2 3. In the annunciator I haveshown only one indicator, though of course it will be understood that asimilar indicator is provided for each room or station.

I will now describe the apparatus and circuit connections at the room orstation.

Q is a circuit-closer. (Shown on a large scale, Fig. 5.) It is providedwith an arched metallic spring, U, secured at one side to acontact-post, It, extending through the base. Two other posts, S T, passthrough this base and carry contacts insulated from each other at theirinner extremities. (See S T.) \Vhen the button is depressed, the springU spreads and its left extremity moves from contact S to contact T.Contact R connects with the magnet corresponding to the station I amdescribing at the central office by wire 6. Post S connects with magnetIV. Post T connects with one pole of abattery, Z, at the station, theother pole being connected with the armature X of magnet V. A localcircuit, 7 8910 11, containing battery Z and an electric bell, Y, iscontrolled by the armature X, so that when the latter is drawn to itsmagnet the bell will be rung. The line-wire 2 3 splits near the magnet,one branch passing to the magnet and the other to the armature, as shownin Fig. 4.

The operation of the system is as follows: Suppose the clerk wishes tocall a guest in room 1. He presses the armature A, which carries No. lon its exposed facc,ba-ck against the core of the magnet. By so doing hebrings contact 0 against spring D and closes a circuit from the positivepole of battery 0 through 1 2 8 4., magnet "W 5, post S, spring U, postIt 6, magnet M, support G, arm B, spring 0 to negative pole of battery.This energizes both magnets M and IV. The former will hold A up, 'so asto maintain C in contact with spring 1). Magnet \V will close the localcircuit at the room and ring bell Y. The bell will ring until thecircuit is ruptured. The clerk can attend to other duties, the magnet Mholding the circuit closed at the office. The guest can stop the ringingby pressing button V, which ruptures the circuit as the spring passesfrom S to T. This rupture causes both magnets to be demagnetizcd,breaking the local circuit 7 the clerk that the call has been received.The

guest, after a call from the clerk, will have to hold the push-button amoment until A closes the annunciator circnit.

It at any time the guest should have a want he desires the clerk tosupply, he simply depresses button V, which will operate the annuneiatorand secure the needed attention. In case of fire or danger, when ageneral alarm should be sounded in all the rooms, the clerk pushes uprod K, attached to frame K, forcing each of the contact-pieces 0 againstits corresponding spring, D, and by means of a lug, d, the frame may beheld supported in its vertical position, so that the guests bell willcontinue ringing, except while said guest holds the push-buttondepressed, for it will be observed that the rupture of the guestsbell-circuit, which in the ordinary operation releases armature A,cannot do so now, as the armature is mechanically supported by the frameK. The guest will be notified, there fore, by the continuous ringingthat there is danger.

The pin J is provided to enable the central operator to bring downthearmatureAiu case the guest should be out of his room andshould notanswer the call within a reasonable time.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a signaling system, the combination ofa eircuitcloser at onestation, a circuitbreakcr at a second station, an electric bell at thesecond station, circuit-connections, a batteryin eircuit,anelectro-magnet in circuit, said magnet located behind thecircuit-closer, and an armature carried by the circuit-closer engagingthe magnet-core when the circuit is closed, as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a signaling system, the combination of a circuit-closer at acentral station, said circuit-closer being provided with an armature, anelectromagnet, with the core of which the said armature is adapted toengage to keep the circuit-closer closed, a circuit-breaker at a distantstation, circuit connections between the two, a battery in circuit, arelay-magnet in circuit at a distant station, and a local circuitcontaining an electric bell controlled by said relay-magnet, as and forthe purpose set forth.

3. In a signaling system, the combination of a double-contactcircuit-changer at a central IOO stationnormallycompletingthecircuitthrough an annunciator at this station, thefree contact completing the circuit to a relay at a distant station, adouble-contact circuit-changer at the distant station normallycompleting the circuit through the relay at this station, the freecontact leading to the annunciator at the central station, a battery inthe circuit, and a local circuit controlled by the relay, said localcircuit containing an electric bell and battery, as setforth.

4. Ina signaling system, the combination of two stations,a'donble-contact circuit-changer and annunciator at one station, adouble-contact circuit-changer, relay,and local circuit at a secondstation, contacts, as A D, for the first circuitchanger, battery betweencontact D and line connecting annunciator and relay, contact A,connecting with annunciator, armature A, carried by the firstcircuitchanger, magnetM, behind the armature, contacts S T on secondcircuit-changer, the former connected with relay and line, the latter ina branch around the relay, battery Z in said branch and front stopofrelay-armature, and main-line connections, as specified.

5. In a circuit-closer,a bent arm pivoted, as described, and carrying onone of its ends an armature of magnetic material, a magnet having abeveled core behind the armature, circuit-connections with a generatorof electricity, whereby the circuit-closer is held closed when operated,and a push-pin to force the armature from the magnet, as specified.

6. In a double-contact circuit-closer, a bent arm pivoted,as described,and carrying at one end an armature, a contact with which said anarmature, a magnet for'each armature, circuit-connections of each magnetwit-h one contact, a frame carrying a series of cross-bars and adaptedto have a vertical movement controlled by a projecting arm, whereby whenthe said arm is thrust upward the cross-bars will engage the upperportion of the bent arms and bring the armatures on their lower portionsin contact with the cores of the magnets and close all the circuitssimultaneously, and a locking device on said projecting arm for keepingthe circuits closed irrespective of the magnets, as and for the purposeset forth.

8. A multiple circuit-closer for a central station, comprising a visiblemagnetic disk, each disk bearing a number corresponding to a distantstation and secured to a circuit-closing arm, and a magnet in thecircuit closed by said arm, said magnet placed behind the disk asufficient distance to permit contact, whereby when a circuit is closedthe magnet holds the disk and maintains the circuit in closed condition.

9. A circuit-changer consisting of an arched spring fixed at one end, acontact on which the other end normally rests, a second contact withinreach of the spring when the latter spreads under pressure, and means ofsecuring circuitconnections with the contacts.

10. A circuit-changer consisting of an arched spring fixed at one end, acontact on which the other end normally rests, a second contact withinreach of the spring when the latter spreads under pressure, a button onthe arch of the spring, a casing over the whole, the button projectingthrough the casing, and means of securing circuit-connections with thecontact.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. COX.

Witnesses: CHARLES M. WERLE, M. M. LAMMOND,

